For the first time, the father and son felt jealous of Lu Liangwei.
Why were they not the ones in the carriage?
How lucky that girl was to be able to sit in the carriage with her mother.
Lu Tingchen turned and saw his father’s handsome but downcast face. He paused, then pulled on the reins and drew closer to him. “Dad, what exactly happened back then? Why did you and Grandmother say that Mother died?”
Lu Hetian’s face clouded over even more, looking thoroughly dispirited. Looking at his son’s youthful face, he realized that the boy had grown up and that there were some things that he could no longer hide from him, so he said, “Back then, your mother committed suicide by jumping off a cliff…”
Lu Tingchen tightened his hold on the reins. “Did you see it with your own eyes?”
All of a sudden, Lu Hetian did not dare to meet his son’s gaze. Lihua had jumped off the cliff because he had betrayed her trust, making her take revenge on him in this unyielding and irreversible manner.
He closed his eyes. “Your mother jumped off the cliff right in front of my eyes…”
The image of Lihua jumping off the cliff was deeply engraved in his mind. Every time he dreamed about it, he would awake in the middle of the night, covered in cold sweat.
Although Lu Tingchen did not know what had exactly happened between his parents, he had a feeling that his father had done something that betrayed his mother’s trust.
He frowned and said, “Then didn’t you go down the cliff to look for her?”
“I did.” Lu Hetian recalled that time when he arrived at the bottom of the cliff only to find torn scraps of Lihua’s clothes strewn everywhere. Thinking that she had been eaten by a beast, he descended into madness.
If not for Lu Hetian’s mother going down there and dragging him back herself, he would have died.
Lu Tingchen wanted to ask more questions, but when he saw the unconcealable dejection on his father’s usually strong-willed face, he stopped himself.
What mattered most was that Mother was back.
It was already noon when they arrived at the city gates. Just when they were about to enter the city, they saw a group of people rushing out on horseback.
The rider at the forefront was none other than the Dowager Duchess, and behind her were Aunt Lan and the Grand Duke Mansion’s guards.
It was evident that they were leaving the city to look for Lu Liangwei.
“Grandmother.” Lu Tingchen was the first to ride over to her.
Spotting him, the Dowager Duchess hurriedly reined in her horse.
The horse let out a neigh, raising its front hooves high into the sky.
Lu Tingchen shuddered at the sight.
Grandmother was already old and had not ridden a horse for a long time.
He jumped off his horse quickly and walked over to steady hers, trying to help her down.
“Grandmother, we’ve found Weiwei. She’s in the carriage.”
At his words, the Dowager Duchess was finally relieved and dismounted by holding on to Lu Tingchen’s hand.
Hearing the commotion from inside the carriage, Lu Liangwei hurriedly lifted the curtains and stepped out.
“Grandmother, why are you here?” She reached out and held onto the Dowager Duchess, helping her onto the carriage.
The Dowager Duchess looked her up and down, exhaling in relief when she saw that she was uninjured. “You really gave me quite a scare, young lady.”
Despite her reproachful words, her tone was loving.
Lu Liangwei’s heart warmed, but she also felt guilty at the same time.
Grandmother was already old, but when she saw that she had not returned, she actually left the city to look for her. Thank goodness nothing happened, or else she would blame herself for the rest of her life.
She sighed in relief at the thought. Thank goodness they came back in time.
Holding onto the Dowager Duchess’s arm, she said with red-rimmed eyes, “I’m sorry for making you worried, Grandmother.”
The Dowager Duchess stroked her head. “I’m just glad that you’re alright.”
Just then, the carriage curtains were lifted, and Madam Lin emerged from inside.
The Dowager Duchess was stunned. “You’re…”
Madam Lin stepped forward and curtsied to her. “I’m sorry for the shock, Madam.”
The Dowager Duchess’s eyes turned red abruptly, and she grabbed her hand, her voice trembling. “Lihua?”
